Apple tree issue - Ask Extension
What causes the bark to come off my apple tree?
Knowledgebase
Apple tree issue #570105
Asked June 13, 2019, 4:09 PM EDT
What causes the bark to come off my apple tree?
Jefferson County Colorado
Expert Response
Hello,
Thank you for your question. This can be caused by several things. To sleuth this out, I have a few questions:
Best regards,
Mari
Thank you for your question. This can be caused by several things. To sleuth this out, I have a few questions:
- On which side of the tree is the bark peeling?
- Is there any weeping or ooze associated?
- Any other problems with the tree?
- Can you send me photos: one of the entire tree, some of the specific damage?
Best regards,
Mari
Here are pictures of the apple tree. It is a grafted tree with both pink and white blossoms when it is in bloom.
Thank you for looking at these
The bark is coming off all over and there is no weeping
Hello,
Thank you for the photos. You have a beautiful tree!
Some varieties of apple have bark that naturally exfoliates. Think back on whether this has happened in past years.
There are some environmental conditions that can cause bark peeling, such as freeze damage. After the polar vortex freeze in November 2015, we saw a lot of bark damage, and still are not sure whether damage just showing up now could be attributed to that event.
The one biotic cause to consider is the bacterial disease known as Fire Blight. It causes leaf and shoot blight initially, but can cause branch and trunk cankers that result in peeling bark. You could bring a peeling branch sample in to the Jeffco Plant Diagnostic Clinic for testing if you like ($7 for Jeffco residents).
Reference:
Fire Blight: https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/garden/02907.pdf
Best regards,
Thank you for the photos. You have a beautiful tree!
Some varieties of apple have bark that naturally exfoliates. Think back on whether this has happened in past years.
There are some environmental conditions that can cause bark peeling, such as freeze damage. After the polar vortex freeze in November 2015, we saw a lot of bark damage, and still are not sure whether damage just showing up now could be attributed to that event.
The one biotic cause to consider is the bacterial disease known as Fire Blight. It causes leaf and shoot blight initially, but can cause branch and trunk cankers that result in peeling bark. You could bring a peeling branch sample in to the Jeffco Plant Diagnostic Clinic for testing if you like ($7 for Jeffco residents).
Reference:
Fire Blight: https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/garden/02907.pdf
Best regards,
